22 August 2012 Last updated at 07:02 ET

South Sudan profile

• Overview
• Facts
• Leaders
• Media
• Timeline

South Sudanese get most of their news through radio

South Sudan's fledgling media face immense logistical, economic, social and political challenges.

Newsgathering can be problematic and the communications infrastructure is poor.

Radio is the most popular medium, and scores of private stations, some with foreign funding, have sprung up.

The Catholic Church and Internews, a US-based media development organisation, are key radio players. The BBC World Service broadcasts to Juba on 90 FM (Arabic) and 88.2 FM (English).

Though expensive for many locals, newspapers rank second to radio in popularity. Most of the titles circulating in South Sudan publish in English. There is a terrestrial TV station - government-operated Southern Sudan TV.

Media infrastructure is still being built up

Media freedom is fragile, with the existence of armed groups, weak legal institutions and political pressures undermining free reporting. Journalists risk arrest over reports that criticise the government and the ruling party.

There have been reported seizures of newspapers, or disruption of their distribution, by the authorities.

Web access is limited to the main towns. Diaspora members tend to be the most active social network users.

The press

• The Juba Post - privately-owned
• The Citizen - privately-owned
• Sudan Mirror - privately-owned

Radio

• Southern Sudan Radio - government-run
• Miraya FM - operated by the UN Mission in Sudan
• Bakhita Radio - Catholic
• Sudan Radio Service - NGO-operated

Television

• Southern Sudan TV - government-run

Internet

• The New Sudan Vision - news site
• Gurtong Trust - news and information site